--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What having a Down's syndrome child isn't…" description: "\"What having a Down's syndrome child isn't - and I feel very strongly about this - is a tragedy. All those pregnancy books you read when you are expecti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/353/sally-phillips-12985_about_what-having-a-down-s-syndrome-child-isn_794886.jpg" --- # What having a Down's syndrome child isn't - and I feel… ![“What having a Down's syndrome child isn't - and I feel very strongly about this - is a tragedy. All those pregnancy books you read when you are expecting refer to Down's syndrome as if it were the worst possible outcome, and it's not.” quote by Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/353/sally-phillips-12985_about_what-having-a-down-s-syndrome-child-isn_794886.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/353/sally-phillips-12985_about_what-having-a-down-s-syndrome-child-isn_794886.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/353/sally-phillips-12985_about_what-having-a-down-s-syndrome-child-isn_794886.jpg) > “What having a Down's syndrome child isn't - and I feel very strongly about this - is a tragedy. All those pregnancy books you read when you are expecting refer to Down's syndrome as if it were the worst possible outcome, and it's not.” [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote challenges the notion that having a child with Down syndrome is a tragedy, urging a more balanced view. **In simple terms:** Having a child with Down syndrome isn’t a tragedy. Key Takeaway Reframe perceptions of Down syndrome. Themes parenting disability societal attitudes Mood empathetic reflective Type advocacy personal narrative When to use this quote - family counseling - public health messaging - education - advocacy Key Concepts inclusion stigma medical ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can society better support families with Down syndrome children? - What narratives dominate medical literature about disabilities? A Different Perspective The quote may oversimplify complex emotional experiences of families. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Pregnancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pregnancy/) [Syndromes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syndromes/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) ## Related quotes > [Once you have a Down's syndrome child, you can't conform. In a way, you're free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/once-you-have-a-down-s-syndrome-child-you-can-t-conform-in-a-way-you/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [I have two children. I have a Down syndrome child whom I love very much, and my wife that I love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastiao-salgado/i-have-two-children-i-have-a-down-syndrome-child-whom-i-love-very/) [Sebastiao Salgado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastiao-salgado/) > [Having Down syndrome means nothing to me, I'm special like everyone else. I do not let people judge me for having Down syndrome. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-barbanell/having-down-syndrome-means-nothing-to-me-i-m-special-like-everyone/) Edward Barbanell > [Having Down syndrome is like being born normal. I am just like you and you are just like me. We are all born in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-burke/having-down-syndrome-is-like-being-born-normal-i-am-just-like-you-and/) [Chris Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-burke/) > [Imposter syndrome is real - I know because I have it - but I'm an optimist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raye/imposter-syndrome-is-real-i-know-because-i-have-it-but-i-m-an-optimist/) [Raye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raye/) > [I commit to most things I do in life, so I don't really have any serious regrets. But I'll say this: There are plenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-grey/i-commit-to-most-things-i-do-in-life-so-i-don-t-really-have-any/) [Sasha Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-grey/) > [It sounds kind of farfetched, yet I can't tell you how many people have had this syndrome... the 'Old Hag Syndrome.' Apparently, there's this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-noory/it-sounds-kind-of-farfetched-yet-i-can-t-tell-you-how-many-people/) [George Noory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-noory/) > [The eye condition that I have is Marfan's Syndrome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-schiavelli/the-eye-condition-that-i-have-is-marfan-s-syndrome/) [Vincent Schiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-schiavelli/) > [I believe it is my responsibility to do what I can for children and people with Down syndrome as well as in my native…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-pujols/i-believe-it-is-my-responsibility-to-do-what-i-can-for-children-and/) [Albert Pujols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-pujols/) > [Sometimes I think that novelists suffer from P.C.S.: Perpetual Childhood Syndrome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mawer/sometimes-i-think-that-novelists-suffer-from-p-c-s-perpetual/) [Simon Mawer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mawer/) > [I'm Chris Martin with down syndrome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-m-chris-martin-with-down-syndrome/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [Manchester United could have any goalkeeper in the world. I was a 23-year-old kid from New Jersey who, from an early age, had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-howard/manchester-united-could-have-any-goalkeeper-in-the-world-i-was-a-23/) [Tim Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-howard/) > [The NIH syndrome (Not Invented Here) is a disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/the-nih-syndrome-not-invented-here-is-a-disease/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [Well, you know I have an office, my film offices. So I know that syndrome. I fancy offices, so there must be something wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/well-you-know-i-have-an-office-my-film-offices-so-i-know-that/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [Primarily affecting low-information voters and members of the mainstream media, Obama Worship Syndrome attributes impossible capabilities to Obama's political opponents, finds excuses for every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/primarily-affecting-low-information-voters-and-members-of-the/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) ## More by Sally Phillips > [My mum's from Yorkshire and my parents aren't snotty or posh - they're very hard workers, both of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/my-mum-s-from-yorkshire-and-my-parents-aren-t-snotty-or-posh-they-re/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [The only way I'll ever run a marathon is if I'm involved in the administration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/the-only-way-i-ll-ever-run-a-marathon-is-if-i-m-involved-in-the/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [I'm not sure my achievements have been 'great.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-m-not-sure-my-achievements-have-been-great/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [I'm very devoted to my kids - I'm completely blind to their faults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-m-very-devoted-to-my-kids-i-m-completely-blind-to-their-faults/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [I tell people that I'm a Christian, but I don't think it's giving an insight into who I am or what I'm about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-tell-people-that-i-m-a-christian-but-i-don-t-think-it-s-giving-an/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [I've got spider veins all over my legs, so I wear opaque tights all winter. All sorts of colours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-ve-got-spider-veins-all-over-my-legs-so-i-wear-opaque-tights-all/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [I don't get star-struck at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-don-t-get-star-struck-at-all/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [I have a lot of funny friends, though not everyone's funny all the time. Doon Mackichan's my funniest friend in the pub; Nina Conti's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-have-a-lot-of-funny-friends-though-not-everyone-s-funny-all-the/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [I truly would love to be a designer-label girl, but I am very much High Street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-truly-would-love-to-be-a-designer-label-girl-but-i-am-very-much/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [All I want to do really is get married and be a matriarch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/all-i-want-to-do-really-is-get-married-and-be-a-matriarch/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [I never ever Google myself. That way madness lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-never-ever-google-myself-that-way-madness-lies/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [I don't have the self-discipline for diets; I break rules I set for myself, so I try and eat more healthily, juice more, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-don-t-have-the-self-discipline-for-diets-i-break-rules-i-set-for/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [I'm feeling incredibly Botox-tempted as my face collapses around my shoulders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-m-feeling-incredibly-botox-tempted-as-my-face-collapses-around-my/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [I definitely used to write a lot at school. Comic poetry and drawings about people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-definitely-used-to-write-a-lot-at-school-comic-poetry-and-drawings/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [My mother always worked and thought staying at home was a bit twee, and that you should get your act together and do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/my-mother-always-worked-and-thought-staying-at-home-was-a-bit-twee/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) [Explore all 52 Sally Phillips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What having a Down's syndrome child isn't - and I feel very strongly about this - is a tragedy. 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